For all former pint-sized Picassos who got in trouble for doodling during class and who’ve grown up to be drawn to drawing during business meetings, the non-profit Chesterfield Arts organization of Chesterfield, Missouri, has news you’ll want to hear:
Doodling is good for you.
10 comments:
Well, I'm glad to hear that doodling helps you remember stuff- the voicemail psychology story was interesting, and a good justification for doodling in class! With that being said, I'm not so sure that Fome-cor is the best thing to carry around to doodle on- a purse-size notebook with a stiff back seems like it would be more convenient. I also always thought that it was spelled "Foam-core", so I guesss this article taught me something
I have seen a few other articles and studies regarding the positives of doodling. While I myself am not a doodler, I can see how it is a positive activity for people who have trouble focusing for an extended period of time. Personally, the very few times that I doodle in class, I find myself getting completely unfocused, and not absorbing the material being discussed whatsoever. However, I know that many of my classmates have the opposite affect. In fact, some of my classmates cannot concentrate at all unless they are doodling. One other aspect of this is the impact of doodling on other people surrounding the doodler. There have been many times where I have been in class, listening to the discussion or lecture, and have been distracted by the awesome doodle of the whale being drawn the seat in front of me. While drawing this whale may help the doodler focus, I think doodling certainly has the potential to draw focus away from those in the surrounding environment.
Being a kinetic learner, I know the advantages to doodling in class...but I don't know what's wrong with regular old paper! It serves the same function and is in good supply, but doodling on foam core is fun too, although it has its draw backs. Foam core is easily punctured by sharp pencils, and dull ones sometimes don't make a shiny enough mark to reflect off the black surface. Which, of course, is half the fun of doodling...seeing what you mindlessly create!
The statistics about memory retention while doodling are very interesting to me. I have never liked to sit perfectly still absorbing knowledge, from a very young age, teachers identified that I really did learn and retain information better when i was doing something with my hands; manipulating a mechanical pencil, peeling an orange, or cracking my joints. I think the same applies to everyone to some degree, that even when your brain is multitasking, it retains information better because it is engaged.
The psychology that is touched upon here is pretty neat, but sadly this article reads more like an advertising smorgasbord then it does an informative piece. Brand names abound, as do plugs for donating to the art center and even lists of Foam-Cor size availability. I am all for doodling, but I'm not sure I want to get my psychological news in the form of product placement.
This is something I can definitely get behind. I was always reprimanded in school for doodling on absolutely everything. It's great to see studies showing the mental benefits of doodling. When I'm exhausted in class, I always turn to doodling to stay aware and absorb lecture. The actual Fome-Cor seems a little excessive, but I like where it's going. And having doodling parties? It's interesting, but a little of form for me.
This is something I can definitely get behind. I was always reprimanded in school for doodling on absolutely everything. It's great to see studies showing the mental benefits of doodling. When I'm exhausted in class, I always turn to doodling to stay aware and absorb lecture. The actual Fome-Cor seems a little excessive, but I like where it's going. And having doodling parties? It's interesting, but a little of form for me.
I totally agree that doodling is "good for you" but this article really just seems like an advertisement for Fome-Cor. Sure drawing on Fome-Cor seems like as good a medium as any but why wouldn't you just draw in a notebook? Fome-Cor just seems like it would be rather inconvenient and just a bit too rigid and the marker could wipe off of the slightly glossy surface.
First, I must say that I find the doodles in the image provided to be quite beautiful. Going back to the article, I find it really interesting that doodling will help you remember things. I feel as though it relates back to the act of note taking. Quite simply it boils down to the more actions you're doing or the more senses you activate while learning, the more likely you are to remember. Doodling simply acts as another stimulation for integrating a thought into your mind.
I don't know about you but whenever I'm writing on foam core in sharpie I always feel so important. It doesn't even matter what I am writing. I want to say this is because of the way that the sharpie going against the foam core feels so good, but its not. It feels like I'm making a statement that I want to be seen. That is while foam core is beautiful.
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